Using imac as an external display. is it possible?

hi. i just bought an macbook. i would like to use my iMac as an external display for my macbook. is this possible?

ok, its not posibble but let me know if there is a way i could get around it.
ex. using some wireless software. a way to virtually connect both displays ... i don't know i have seen many different setups. i just don't know how to do them.

Similar Messages

  • After 10.6.4 update I cannot use iMac 27" as external display

    I've routinely connected my work laptop to my iMac via the DisplayPort to use it as an external display. This morning this is no longer working. I updated to 10.6.4 last night.
    When I plug the DisplayPort cable into my laptop the iMac screen goes black as it should. I can then select dual monitors. For a moment it switches to the laptop setting. When I then click "Apply" on the laptop to configure dual monitors it gracefully switches back to the Mac desktop (which is wrong).
    There may be other causes of course. I strongly suspect a 10.6.4 bug however.
    Has anyone else noticed this?
    Message was edited by: jfaughnan

    If you applied the update through Software Update, that is the delta version. Try installing the Combo version over the current system. That often fills-in-the-gap for various issues.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1048
    Dah•veed

  • Can I connect to iMac 27" as external display?

    I'm considering buying 2 iMac 27" to run Windows 7.
    Can I connect these two together so iMac 1 can use iMac 2 as external display and visa versa.
    In other words... is the mini display port both for input and output?
    If yes... does this work under Windows 7 as well?

    tjementum wrote:
    I just love Mac hardware, and an iMac (two in my case) on a desk is just such a nice clean setup, with only one cable. Just counted 16 cables for my current PC mini tower setup with 2 screens - don't ask
    Just so you know, I'm well aware of Apple's "cableless" marketing for this thing. But on my new iMac, I actually only have a single port, the FW800, that doesn't have a cable sticking out of it.
    But Mac OSX is just not a nice operating system IMO
    At least we can use you as an example of a 100% legitimate Mac owner of a Windows OEM install.
    Anyway... I just ordered 2 x 27" iMac's. If i somehow succeeds in getting them connected in Windows, I'll post here... if not feel free to ask me, in 6 months.
    Please do post back, because if someone tries it, then everyone will know if it works. I have seen reports of a PC driving the iMac display and I have done it with my MacBook Pro. I'm still not 100% sure that two iMacs will cooperate in this way. They both have the same cable connected to the same input/output port. Which one is the target? I have never heard of Windows or any PC hardware having the ability to convert a video port to input, so Windows would have to be the broadcaster. You may need MacOS X to detect the input and use it instead of trying to send out its own signal. Hopefully this won't short out the video circuitry on both.
    And in 6 months when you are reinstalling Windows to clean off all the malware, you can still use the Mac machine

  • How do I use my 2011 27" iMac as an external display for a pc?

    I just bought a 27" imac for my home, and was also planning on using it as an external display for my work Dell Laptop running Windows 7.
    The Dell laptop has a displayport output, so I was planning on getting a displayport <-> minidisplayport cable, and using the iMac in target display mode.
    I would simply plug the minidisplay end of the cable into one of the iMac's 2 Thunderbolt ports. Seemed fairly simple.
    Except now it seems from what I have been reading that 2011 iMacs DO NOT WORK in target display mode unless they are connected to another Thunderbolt source. This leads to me two questions.
    1. Can anyone confirm or deny this? If this is true, does that mean I cannot plug my Dell's displayport into the iMac's Thunderbolt port as I described above?
    2. If #1 is true, is there any other option? Are there any adapters that I can use to turn my Dell into a Thunderbolt source for display purposes?
    If I can't resolve this I will have to return the iMac
    Thanks very much.
    David

    David,
    Sorry you can't use the 2011 iMac as an external display to your PC. The feature you are referring to is called Target Display Mode and works on 2009 & 2010 27" iMacs. The 2011 machines use Thunderbolt as you know however they do support external displays that are not Thunderbolt displays. So for example if you wanted 2 displays on the iMac you can easily do that with either Mini Display port to DVI or MDP to VGA or even HDMI. MDP is the same size as Thunderbolt and this will work fine to drive a display, TV or even a projector.
    I'd recommend reading Apple's explanations at Target Display Mode 2009 & 2010 iMacs & Target Display Mode Mid 2011 iMacs.
    Using a Mac as an external display for a Windows machine to me seems like a horrible waste of a Mac. Why not enjoy the iMac and if anything run Windows on it and get rid of the PC?

  • Using a Mid 2011 iMac as an external display.

    Hello, I was wondering if it would be possible to use my Mid 2011 iMac as a external display for a PC.
    In the interest of gaming I am looking for a new gaming PC and I would really like to use my iMac as the display because I still want to use the iMac.

    Yes, if it's a 27" model.
    Target Display Mode 2011 & Later iMacs
    iMac- How to use your iMac as a Target Display Mode display

  • Using a 27-inch iMac as an external display for my macbook air

    I would like Using a 27-inch iMac as an external display for my mac book air.
    i bought a Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable, it's the Belkin Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable on apple store.
    I connect my imac and mac book air with this cable but the screen of my mac book air don't appear on imac screen.
    where is my error ?

    Morning seal, my experience suggests the latter of your two posts is the correct one. I have a 27" iMac with a mini display port (a 2-year old one, not the newer one with thunderbolt); and a brand new Mac book air with thunderbolt. I connected the two with a Belkin male-male mini display port to mini display port cable, and it works fine - press command f2, and the iMac acts as display for the MBA.
    The irony here is that the folks at the apple store in Paris assured me that this would NOT work, and that I needed to buy a €999 thunderbolt display to connect to my MBA. I thought I'd try anyway, since I had the cable to connect a MacBook pro to the iMac anyway... Glad I did.
    Bottom line: yes, despite all the confusion, the new MacBook air will connect to the minidisplay port of an older iMac 27"; and the cable it needs to do that is the older minidisplay port cable, not the thunderbolt one.

  • Can a mba use an imac as an external display

    I have a PowerPC G5 iMac running Leopard and I'd like to use it as an external display for my new 2011 MacBook Air running Lion. Is this possible? What cable would be used? Any need for additional software?

    It could make a good aquarium.

  • IMac as an external display, problem with trackpad/mouse pairing

    Hi,
    I am trying to use the imac as an external display for a macbook air, which is well supported/advertised by apple.
    I can toggle the display easily between the imac and the macookair, the problem I’m having is that I only have one wireless keyboard and one wireless trackpad. As I toggle the display, the paring/unpairing of both trackpad and mouse is a real hastle becuase I have to manually go into bluetooth preferences and adjust the settings for both devices.
    Anyone using the imac as external display with an idea/suggestion how to make this process more friendly?
    Thank in advance for any help.

    I don't think you can.  Wish I had better news.  Target display mode for non-thunderbolt 27" Imacs worked OK.  I have done it myself on a late 2009 iMac.  The new iMacs can only go into target display mode when connected thunderbolt to thunderbolt.  So a new macbook or macbook air can do the trick but your dell can't.  What you can do is remote desktop or VNC to the dell.  Now your dell screen will show up but in a smaller window.

  • HT3131 I purchased a sony 3d monitor and I am using it for my external display with my macbook pro.  We have followed the instructions but no display!!??  What do I do

    I purchased a sony 3d monitor and I am using it for my external display with my macbook pro.  We have followed the instructions but no display!!??  What do I do now

    We need more information if members of the forum are going to assist you.
    What instructions did you follow?
    How are you connecting your MBP to the Sony TV?
    Which model MBP do you have?

  • Can I use my imac as an external display for a PC? If so, what cables would I need?

    Can I use my imac (intel 2008) as an external display for a PC (Dell 2002)? If so, what cables would I need?

    No.

  • Can I still use 2009 27" iMac as an external display if it could not boot successfully itself?

    My friend has a 2009 27" iMac. For some unkonwn reasons, this iMac now could not boot succesfully recently.
    As I know, this iMac could be used as an external display in "target display mode", right?
    Could it be still used as an external display if it fails to boot (turned on) ?
    Thanks !

    mende1 wrote:
    stanleyoowa wrote:
    And, what do you mean by " 'display only' is repairable, possibly with little effort"?   Thank you very much !!
    LousyFool is saying that the iMac is a computer easy to repair, at least with hard disk problems. However, you can't replace the hard disk yourself or you will avoid the warranty, so if the iMac is in warranty, you should take it to an Apple Store. If it's not in warranty, you can try to do it yourself
    Sorry, hit Add Reply too soon...
    stanleyoowa, your friend should boot the Mac from the original OS X system disk that came with the Mac, then use Disk utility to check the internal HDD. Maybe it's not entirely gone but can be repaired. Eventually, it must be formatted newly and the OS re-installed. Only worst case a new HDD is due.
    With the Mac being from 2009, there will be neither warranty no AppleCare anymore, so DIY might be in order in that worst case. There are instructions on the web. In any case, it being a 27" iMac, I find it sad to 'degrade' it to a 'display only' function...
    Message was edited by: LousyFool

  • Can I use my iMac as a external display?

    I would like to use the iMac as a second display for my PC laptop. Does Thunderbolt allow this?

    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Thunderbolt/10.6/en/30822.html  https://discussions.apple.com/message/16029034#16029034

  • Using iMac G5 as a display for Macbook

    Is there any possibility to use iMac G5 20'' as a display for my new Macbook.

    That does not provide a direct video link between the MacBook and iMac G5 as a standard external display would.
    ScreenRecycler uses VNC and therefore uses networking to share the MacBook's screen to other devices.
    From ScreenRecycler's web site:
    Just start ScreenRecycler on your Mac then connect to ScreenRecycler via VNC from your old machine.

  • Using iMac as a second display while still using iMac

    I work between both a macbook air and iMac daily.  My emails are on the MacBook Air and everything else is on the iMac.  I have purchased the Thunderbolt Cord and am able to use the iMac as a second display for the MacBook. 
    I would like to know if you can split the screen on the iMac.  I want to work from just one machine and see my emails on the iMac (say 1/3 of the screen) while still being able to use the iMac on the remaining 2/3 of the screen.
    Is this possible at all??

    You can't do what you want to do. The Target Display mode only allows you to use the iMac as an external screen or as a computer at a time, so you can't use the iMac and use it as an external screen at the same time

  • Is there a way to use a non-apple external display (monitor) without having my macbook air plugged in?

    Just got a 27'' AOC monitor that I'm using with my Macbook Air (purchased in 2013). It's working great but as soon as I unplug the power adapter from my laptop the monitor goes black and says 'no signal'. I've been reading online that you need to have the power adapter plugged in to use an external monitor - my questions are: 1) does that harm the laptop's batter? if so, 2) is there a workaround? if there is no workaround, 3) does an Apple monitor also require that a laptop be plugged in for the external display to continue functioning while the laptop is in clamshell mode (closed lid)?
    Thanks in advance for any advice

    Thanks, Matt. In my case, the monitor definitely shuts off when I unplug the power from my laptop in clamshell mode. If the lid is open, however, the monitor continues to function even without the power adapter plugged into my laptop. Ideally, I'd like to have the lid closed on my laptop and be able to use the external monitor without having the power plugged into my laptop. That's what doesn't seem to work - if your does, please let me know if you have any pointers.
    Thanks again!

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